Car-roof.



STATES PATENT @Fin-ics..Y

DELMAR o. Rosson DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

" CAR-ROOF.

sPEoIFIcArON forming part @riet/eers :Latenty No. 655,941, dated August14, 1900.

Application filed May 21, 1900.

To all uh-0 7@ itmctyjcolwen.: Beit known that-I, DELMAR C. ROSS, aciti- 'zen of the United States, residing at Detroit, inthe county ofWayne and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Car-Roofs', of Vwhich the following is a specilication,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.-

The invention relates 'to a car-roof composed of -a multiple of platesor sections designed particularly as a metallic covering for the woodenroof-boards of an ordin ary freightcar. y

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the sections andin their combination, wherebyperfect flexibility is obtained by jointsdirectly'niade'between the sections themselves and the attachment tothev car.

It further consists in the peculiar construction of a cap for'thepeak-joint, and, further,

. inthe construction, arrangement, and combinations hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional perspective of the upperportion of arcar, showing my improved metallic roof applied thereto.Fig. 2 isa perspective view of one of the sections complete and of theupper or peak end of complementary sections on opposite 'sides of thepeak. Fig. 3 is a section, taken on line x so', Fig. l. Fig. 4 is asectiontaken through the cap and sleeper constituting the support kforthe running-boards. Fig. 5 is a section on line y y, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is aperspective View of the cap and housing. Fig. is a diagram View showingthe manner inV which the joint islf'ormed between adjacent sections, andFig. 8 is a plan View of the roof with the running-boards and capsremoved.

A designates the board covering of an ordinary freight-car, supportedupon the purlins-B and carlines C.

' D is the ridge-timber, andD' the plates.

G and G represent metallic sheets adapted `to be arranged upon oppositesides of the roof` and extending from the peak to the loweredge-'thereof'. These two sections are alike, except a slight additionto the l section G'A at the peak, which will-be more fully hereinafterdescribed. I will first describe those parts which are alike in twosections G and' G'. The sections themselves consist of fiat plates Abodyof the plate.

as shown in Fig. 5.

serial No. 17,469. (No model.)

which rest upon theroof A and, as before described, extend from the peakto the lower edge. At the lower edge these plates have an extension A',formed in the shape of a 'cient dist-ance to form what I call a lexibleportion or section between the plate G .proper and the Vertical flangeB', Which forms the'securing-flange. This lange'is formed by acontinuation of the plate G beyond the curved bend orbead A', as clearlyshown in Fig. 2. The flange B extends down the side of the car and issecured thereto by nailing or otherwise, so as to form a tight-joint; YThis construction is best illustrated in Fig; 2. The oppositefsides ofthe plate Ghavelockinghooks H in the shape of an involute hook extendingfrom the top edge thereof down to substantially the lower edgethereof-that`is, down to thelower edge of that portion of the platewhich rests upon the roof. These flanges terminate preferably in thevertical jointflange J. l At the upper edge of' the plates G G' are4formed the inverted hooks or trough-shaped flanges L. Upon the plate Gthese troughshaped flanges extend across only the main Upon the plate G'they are made to extend across the body of the plate and at one sidehave the extension M, which overlaps the joint between the adjoiningsections, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

In assembling the plate-sections to form the 'roof'. the sections G arearranged upon one side 'and the sections G'upon the other side of thepeak or ridge. The adjoining plates in each series are secured togetherby engaging the rolls or hooks H, as shown in Fig. 7,

the plates being first placed end to end and at an angle to each otherto permit of this engagement of the hooks, and the parts yare then slidupon each other until they stand .side by side, when they are turneddown into parallelism, as shown in Fig. 1, resting fiat upon the woodenroof A., I'n vmoving them down into parallelism or into a common planethe locking-flanges J are moved into contact and form a tight jointbetween-the sections, The hooks L of thev plates G' are overlapped uponthe hooks L of the plates G, and thus serve to tie the twosectionsItogether at the peak. The extensions M cover the joint at the peak, asshown in Fig. S, the lower ends being nailed through the securing-flangeB'. The upper ends are secured by means of bolts O, which pass throughapertures din the flanges L, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The sectionsthus being connected together form a continuous metal sheathing from oneedge to the other of the roof. Between the lower edge of the plates Gand the roof is a liexible section A', which permits the plates Gto movelengthwise upon the wood covering. This is also permitted by theflexible connection formed by that portion of the hook L which extendsbetween the plate G and the bolt, as shown in Fig. 4. The plate istherefore free to move either as a single plate o1' as connected platesto or from the line of the ridge, as the joints at the top and bottomare tiexible enough to permit this movement, while the joints on thesides permit it by one hook H sliding in its adjoining or interlockinghook. The plates are also flexibly connected together at their sides bythese interlocking hooks and may move to or from each other orbe turnedat an angle to each other without destroying the joint. This, it will benoticed, is accomplished without the addition of any additional capplates, but by interlocking ianges on the edges of the platesthemselves. It will be noticed thatv these plates are so securelyfastened at top and bottom and are so securely fastened to each other atthe edges by interlocking hooks forced tight-ly together (at the angesJ) that there is no possibility ot rattling or shaking, and even if theparts should rust and wear to an appreciable extent the roof-sectionsthus constructed may be used with any desired form of cap for thecorner- 'joints at the peak and any desired form of running-board may beplaced thereon. The form of cap and running-board connection is shownparticularly in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, and is ot' the followingconstruction:

In order that rain and snow may be `effectually prevented from enteringthe car through the exposed portions of the jointsnamely, at the meetingcorners of adjacent sections-I provide caps or plates P, covering saidcorners of the plates, and a hood P', adapted to cover the bolt O andbolt-hole P2 in the cap.A In formation the cap referred to consists,essentially, of a four-way hood having intersecting radially-extendingchannels e, f, g, and h formed in its under side, the said channelsterminating in the housing Il referred to, arranged centrally of thehood. The cap is likewise provided with oppositelyarranged andupwardly-extending perforated earsjj, the function of which willlbehereinafter described.

7c k designate lugs upon opposite sides of the interior of the housing.The semicircular base-sections Z Z are arranged at an angle to eachother to permit of the cap lying fiat upon the roof.

In placing the cap, with its housing, in position it is iirst arrangedover the head of the bolt and then moved in a lateral direction to bringthe lugs on the interior of the housing upon opposite sides of` thebolt-shank beneath the head, as plainly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Uponclamping the bolt by the turning of the nut d the cap is clamped uponthe roof-sheathing.

The reference-letter Q designates the usual sleeper which constitutesthe support for the running-boards R, and this sleeper I arrange betweenthe perforated earsjj, before referred to. such manner as to lie liatupon the roof, and a bolt S, Fig. 5, extends through the ears and saidsleeper, secu rely holding the latter in its proper position. Therunning-boards R are arranged upon and secured to the sleepers in theusual manner.

Vhile I have shown and described a particular type of cap, the latterbeing in the form of a hood, with grooves or channels formed in itslower face, I do not care to limit myself to this construction, as thecap may consist simply of a Hat plate having a bolthole formed therein,with the housing arranged over the bolt-opening.

What I claim as my invention is l. A metallic roof-section comprising aplate, locking-hooks upon opposite sides of the latter, au invertedtrough at one end of the plate, the edges of said trough being intheplane of the plate extending transversely and at some dista-ncebeyond the plate at one side of the latter, and a securing-liange uponthe opposite plate end.

2. A metallic roofsection comprising a plate, locking-hooks uponopposite sides of the plate, a securing-flange depending from one of theplate ends, and an inverted trough carried by and having its inner edgeintegral with the opposite plate end, the trough projecting laterallybeyond the edge of one side of the plate and having its outer free edgein the plane of the plate, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3. In a metallic roof composed of roof-sections, a cap for covering asection-joint, comprising a hood having radiallyextending channelsformed in its under face and an opening formed therein, through whichthe securing-bolt is adapted to extend, and a housing, constructed toreceive the bolt-head, covering the bolt-hole formed in the cap.

4. In a carroof,the combination witha roof sheathing, a multiple ofconnected metallic roof-sections thereon,a series of caps arranged overthe meeting corners of the adjacent sections, each cap having abolt-hole formed therein, a bolt extending through each cap, and ahousing, constructed to receive and support the bolt-head, covering thebolt-hole formed in the cap.

5. In a car-roof,the combination with a roof sheathing, a multiple ofconnected metallic roof-sections thereon,a series of caps arranged Thesleeper is hollowed out in over the meeting corners of the adjacentsections, each cap having a bolt-hole formed j therein, a bolt extendingthrough each cap, a

housing, constructed to receive and support the bolt-head, covering thebolt-hole formed in the cap, oppositelyarranged upwardlyextendingperforated ears upon each cap, a sleeper intermediate each pair of ears,a bolt extending through said sleeper and ears and the running-boardssupported upon the sleepers.

6. In a car-roof, the combination with the roof-sheathing, of a multipleof connected metallic roof-sections thereon, a series of caps arrangedover the meeting corners of adjacent sections, each cap having abolt-hole formed therein, a housing for each cap covering the bolt-hole,oppositely-arranged lugs upon the interior of the housing,.a bolt foreach cap, a bolt-head engaging the lugs within the housing, and a boltshank extending through the cap and sections, and a nut for each bolt,substantially as described.

7. In a metallic roof, the combination of two adjoining section-plates,and a joint conf necting the adjacent portions of said plates,comprising two involute hooks one upon the meeting side of each plate,the said hooks being bent in the same direction and adapted to beengaged one within the other, and abutting anges upon-the free ends .ofthe hooks, the relative arrangement and proportion of the parts beingsuch that when the section-plates are turned into a common plane on theengag-y ing hooks the flanges will abut.

8. In a metallic roof, the cdmbination of two adjoining section-platesand a joint connecting the adjacent portions of said plates, comprisingtwo involute hooks, one upon the meeting side of each plate, the saidhooks being bent in the same direction and adapted to be engaged onewithin the other, and abutting ilanges upon the hooks'formed by bendingupwardly at substantially right angles to the plane of the plate thefree end of each hook, the relative arrangement and proportion of theparts being such that When the sectionplates are turned into a commonplane on the engaging hooks the anges will abut.

9, A car-roof comprising a roof-frame and covering, of a metalliccovering consisting of a multiple of plates extending from the peak tothe lower edge of the sheathing, sliding joints connecting the edges ofadjoining plates and a iiexible connection between the main section ofeach sheet and the car at the lower edge of each sheet, and a yieldingconnection at the peak, whereby each sheet may move longitudinally inrelation to the adjoining sheets, without bending or 'buckling 10. Ametallic car-root' consisting of a series of plates extending from thepeak to the lower edge of the sheathing, a connection with the car atthe lower end, a exible section between that car connection and theplate, sliding flexible joints connecting the adjoining plates, and aflexible joint at the upper end of the plate, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. DELMAR C. ROSS.

Witnesses:

H. C. SMITH, M. B. ODOGHERTY.

